HEINEKEN Seven Harrow

About Us St Luke’s Hospice was established in 1987, and serves a richly diverse population of over 450,000 people in Harrow and Brent. We provide specialist end of life care to adults of all ages, supporting them as early as we can in the diagnosis with their life-limiting illness. Our vision is a world where people experience the best possible last phase of life, by ensuring people get the complete care they need in the place of their choice. We believe in empowering people to help them feel as well and independent as possible, for the remaining time they have left, providing expert palliative care with compassion and dignity through very difficult times. “Thank you to all of you at the hospice for the gentle care you all gave my mum. Your thoughtful approach gave her a dignified and pain free last few days. The community in Brent and Harrow are so lucky to have St Luke’s.” How we help In 2020, we cared for over 1,800 patients and their families in Harrow and Brent. Yet the health challenges for the ageing communities around us are increasing. We are facing more and more demands for our care and services, amidst a backdrop of extreme uncertainty. More people are dying at an older age and are more likely to have complex needs and multiple co-morbidities as they near the end of their lives. Covid-19 has provided additional challenges, with end of life patients experiencing more complex symptoms or being much more unwell as a result of the virus. As such, the demand for our care has never been higher. Over the past twelve months, our patient referrals have increased. Admissions to our Inpatient Unit have gone up by 250%, with patients now being admitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Throughout the pandemic, we reduced the pressure on the local NHS hospitals by supporting the rapid discharge of patients from hospitals to free up necessary beds, and to keep them safe at home. We have cared for more people than ever before in the community by extending our home care services, enabling the preferred place of death, namely at home, to be achieved. Why we need your support now more than ever St Luke’s Hospice is only partially funded by the NHS, and therefore relies on the generosity of our local community, gifts in wills and donations for 60% of our funding. That is to fund the cost of 6 in 10 of our patients. With the closure of our charity shops since December, and mass scale events not yet returned, we have lost approximately £750,000 in 2021 alone. With your support, the £150 Heineken Grant could be used to fund two hours of physiotherapy for a patient (costing £75 a session). Physiotherapy is so important to enable our patients to remain active, mobile and independent in their own homes for as long as possible, increasing their self-esteem and quality of life during their last phase of life. Thank you. *All quotes from relatives or patients on www.careopinion.org.uk